There are thousands of webcams and virtual tours of the world. Here’s just some that are really interesting.
Animals and nature
Explore – a large number of webcams from around the world, including elephants, bears, birds, ocean life, pet rescue centres, wildlife sanctuaries and nesting sites.
San Diego Zoo – lots of different animals
Edinburgh Zoo – webcams of pandas, koalas, penguins and tigers
Georgia Aquarium – lots of different webcams including beluga whales, sea lions, African penguins, underwater puffins, jellyfish, piranha, otters and lots of fish!
Historical
Tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses VI in the Valley of the Kings
London before the Great Fire in 1666 – this is a reconstruction made by six students from the University of Montfort, which will eventually be part of a video game.
Hamilton Palace – a virtual reconstruction of the huge stately home that was the home of Dukes of Hamilton
Stonehenge – one of the most famous stone circles
Angkor Wat – a huge ruined temple in Cambodia
Ellis Island National Monument, New York
Smithsonian Natural Museum of Natural History, Washington DC
Macchu Picchu, Peru – a ruined fortress high in the Andes
Great Wall of China – the Great Wall of China was actually a number of walls. Some of it has been destroyed but there are amazing sections still remaining.
Acropolis – virtual tours over the ancient ruins in Athens, Greece
Art and museums
Ultimate guide to virtual museum resources
Google Arts and Culture includes thousands of museums and galleries. Search by name or map, or just browse and be inspired.
National Museum of Scotland – tour through Streetview and also explore their collections
Anne Frank’s House, Amsterdam – a virtual tour, plus lots of additional information
Museo Nacional de Antropología, México – scroll down to Explore. Digital tour through Google Arts and Culture.
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
Louvre, Paris – four virtual tours. Requires Flash.
The Met, New York – digital tours through YouTube
Musee d’Orsay, Paris – beautiful gallery and museum
Vatican – virtual tour of the galleries
Exploring
AirPano – a collection of 360° panoramas from around the world
National Geographic 360° video playlist
Google Treks – visit famous locations around the world including Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania, UAE and the United States.
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, China – the highest glass bridge in the world, built over a deep gorge in Hunan Province.
The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks – explore glaciers, caves, volcanoes, coral reefs, and even the stars in a dark sky, across five American National Parks.
Central Park, New York – a series of still photos, but still gives you a good wander around the park
Under the canopy – a tour through the Amazon rainforest
Patagonia, Argentina – a series of 360 degree tours, including the Perito Moreno glacier
Ambrym Volcano, Vanuatu – short film featuring 360 degree tours
Eiffel Tower – the view from the top of the Eiifel Tower in Paris
Sheepview – explore the Faroe Islands from a camera attached to a sheep. Seriously.
Rome – 360 degree views of the Colosseum and other popular tourist sites in Rome
Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
Celebrating Harry Potter – lots of places linked to the Harry Potter series and films.
Paris Catacombs – an underground cemetery full of skulls and other bones, strange carvings and one of the weirdest tourist attractions in Paris.
Lights over Lapland – beautiful views of the Northern Lights in time-lapse videos and 360 degree images
Space
Mars! – the Access Mars website allows you to see what the Curiosity Rover saw
NASA Exoplanet Travel Bureau – see artists’ impressions of exoplanets (planets outside the Solar System). Be aware that the images are based on a very small amount of data.
